Table 3 The content of the encounters
| Â | Unadjusted descriptive | Age-sex standardised | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Variable | Heavy drinkers | Â | Non-heavy drinkers | Heavy drinkers | Â | Non-heavy drinkers | ||||
| Â | Rate per 100 encounters (n = 5,753) | 95% CI | Â | Rate per 100 encounters (n = 73,221) | 95% CI | Rate per 100 encounters(a) ( n = 5,756) | 95% CI | Â | Rate per 100 encounters (n = 73,152) | 95% CI |
Reasons for encounter | 150.0 | 147.7–152.2 | ↓ | 155.7 | 154.5–156.9 | 156.60 | 152.7–160.4 | -- | 155.0 | 153.8–156.2 |
Problems managed | 151.1 | 148.6–153.6 | ↓ | 155.5 | 154.1–156.9 | 160.6 | 156.3–164.9 | ↑ | 154.1 | 152.7–155.5 |
   New problem | 58.8 | 56.7–60.9 | ↑ | 53.9 | 53.1–54.8 | 56.4 | 53.2–59.6 | -- | 54.2 | 53.3–55.1 |
   Work related | 2.6 | 2.1–3.1 | ↑ | 1.3 | 1.1–1.5 | 1.6 | 1.2–2.0 | -- | 1.4 | 1.2–1.6 |
Chronic problems | 52.0 | 49.7–54.3 | ↓ | 56.6 | 55.4–57.7 | 62.0 | 57.3–66.6 | ↑ | 55.3 | 54.2–56.5 |
Treatment type | Rate per 100 problems (n = 8,694) | 95% CI | Â | Rate per 100 problems (n = 113,885) | 95% CI | Rate per 100 problems (n = 9,245) | 95% CI | Â | Rate per 100 problems (n = 112,735) | 95% CI |
Medications | 67.5 | 65.4–69.5 | -- | 68.0 | 67.1–69.0 | 70.7 | 66.8–74.5 | -- | 68.1 | 67.1–68.0 |
   Prescribed | 55.9 | 53.8–57.9 | -- | 57.4 | 56.3–58.4 | 58.1 | 55.5–62.8 | -- | 57.2 | 56.2–58.2 |
   Advised OTC | 5.4 | 4.8–6.0 | -- | 5.2 | 5.0–5.5 | 4.7 | 3.9–5.6 | -- | 5.4 | 5.1–5.6 |
   GP-supplied | 6.2 | 5.2–7.2 | -- | 5.4 | 4.9–5.9 | 6.8 | 4.8–8.8 | -- | 5.5 | 5.0–6.0 |
Clinical treatment | 33.5 | 31.9–35.2 | ↑ | 26.8 | 25.9–27.6 | 32.1 | 30.0–34.2 | ↑ | 27.2 | 26.3–28.1 |
   Counselling – alcohol* | 5.7 | 5.0–6.4 | ↑ | 0.2 | 0.2–0.3 | 5.8 | 4.7–6.9 | ↑ | 0.2 | 0.2–0.3 |
   Counselling – psychological* | 5.0 | 4.3–5.6 | ↑ | 4.0 | 3.7–4.3 | 5.6 | 4.5–6.6 | ↑ | 4.0 | 3.7–4.3 |
Counsell/advice – smoking* | 2.3 | 1.9–2.7 | ↑ | 0.9 | 0.8–1.0 | 2.2 | 1.6–2.7 | ↑ | 0.9 | 0.8–1.0 |
Procedural treatment | 11.4 | 10.5–12.3 | -- | 11.0 | 10.6–11.4 | 10.4 | 9.1–11.8 | -- | 10.9 | 10.5–11.3 |
Referrals | 8.6 | 7.9–9.2 | -- | 8.0 | 7.7–8.2 | 7.7 | 6.7–8.7 | -- | 8.0 | 7.8–8.2 |
Specialist | 5.3 | 4.8–5.8 | -- | 5.4 | 5.2–5.6 | 5.0 | 4.2–5.9 | -- | 5.4 | 5.3–5.6 |
Allied health services | 2.4 | 2.1–2.7 | -- | 2.0 | 1.8–2.1 | 1.9 | 1.4–2.4 | -- | 2.0 | 1.9–2.1 |
Emergency department | 0.1 | 0.0–0.2 | -- | 0.1 | 0.1–0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0–0.1 | -- | 0.1 | 0.1–0.1 |
Hospital | 0.4 | 0.3–0.6 | -- | 0.3 | 0.3–0.3 | 0.5 | 0.3–0.7 | -- | 0.3 | 0.3–0.3 |
Pathology | 26.0 | 24.0–28.0 | -- | 25.7 | 24.9–26.4 | 27.7 | 24.5–30.9 | -- | 25.8 | 25.0–26.5 |
Imaging | 6.6 | 5.9–7.3 | -- | 6.0 | 5.8–6.2 | 6.2 | 4.9–7.4 | -- | 6.1 | 5.9–6.3 |